State to Follow CDC Opioid Prescription Guidelines

Governor Earl Ray Tomblin announced Tuesday that starting in January, doctors who prescribe pain pills will be required to follow federal prescribing guidelines.

The move was made in an attempt to lower state overuse and abuse rates. According to Rahul Gupta, the West Virginia state health officer and the commissioner for the Bureau for Public Health, West Virginia has the highest rate of prescription opioids per capita in the nation.

"The majority of the people who end up abusing these medications really start by getting these medications not from drug dealers but from friends, family and caregivers," he said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released a set of guidelines in March that encourages doctors to not consider opioid medication as a first-choice pain medication, and to talk with patients about the risks of using opioids as a response to chronic pain.

As the rates of drug abuse--and more directly opioid abuse--continue to grow in West Virginia, new federal guidelines could help cut down on the number of prescribed opioids.

The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have released new guidelines for doctors who prescribe opioids for chronic pain. The guidelines advise primary care doctors to cut down on the number of prescriptions of medicines like OxyContin and Percocet and try to find other means to treat the pain—pushing them to look toward more holistic care methods. The guidelines aren’t intended for doctors treating cancer patients or for end-of-life care.

Senator Shelley Moore Capito is joining U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark of Massachusetts in teaming to push legislation that would allow patients to request that pharmacists only partially fill opioid prescriptions.

The bill's goal is to help curb the spike in opioid overdose deaths by reducing the number of pills in circulation.

The drug epidemic in West Virginia affects more than just the work force, or the number of people in a prison cell or treatment center. It’s also had a major impact on the state’s foster children. West Virginia Public Broadcasting introduces the Holben family who has seen the impacts of the drug epidemic first-hand.